


Never Ever (Goodbye)

by laumeidelfin



Series: Look at my Mistakes (You) [1]
Category: Professional Wrestling, World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Gen, M/M, Post Raw, heelish!roman, hints of future rolleigns, hints of past rolleigns, mentions of: braun strowman & finn balor, slight AU, the shield's return
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-27
Updated: 2018-08-27
Packaged: 2019-07-03 11:04:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15817605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/laumeidelfin/pseuds/laumeidelfin
Summary: Roman Reigns is always underestimated. He's never thought of intelligent. But now, with the title in his hands, he has a plan. He just needs the trap to be set and taken. And then, he can begin an all out war on his brothers.





	Never Ever (Goodbye)

The moment he wins the Universal Championship from Lesnar, he begins thinking about what to do next. He's not an idiot – he knows Strowman is going to cash in on him as soon as he can tomorrow. But he's also not a liar, or well, he tries not to be, and he wants to give other wrestlers the opportunity to fight for what he now holds. His mind runs rampant with thoughts of wrestlers he could give opportunities to – wrestlers like Breeze and Owens, maybe even one of the tag teams who are floundering as a tag team. The opportunities are endless and hell, part of him even begins to think about what would happen if he went over to Smackdown, the opportunities he could give to the wrestlers on that brand.  Eventually however, his mind slowly settles on a few errand thoughts, thoughts that he knows he needs to think further on the moment he can.

The walk backstage is quick, over before Roman can think of anything important, and he's grateful for that because he's immediately being asked for photos, for interviews, to allow everyone to know how he's feeling in this moment. He answers the questions the best he can, but that last one – that last one has him nearly stumbling with his words, something he hates doing now more than ever. He's champion, at long fucking last, and he knows now more than ever, he's going to be in the spotlight with everyone else. How he's feeling – he's feeling like a nervous wreck. He's champion, finally, but he still must contend with Strowman and his cash in, Lesnar and his rematch and god only knows who else.

He doesn't care, he tries to say to himself, but with how his previous reigns have gone with the main title, Roman – Roman isn't an idiot, like he thought earlier. He knows he's going to need help, and that – he hates that. His fingers curl into a fist at his side, and he's thankful for the moment that he's alone in the locker room given to him, that his match was the last match of the night and next to no one was around.

It would make what he must do so much easier than one would think. He doesn't know how much time passes when he begins to undress and jump into the shower, his body relaxing underneath the blazing hot water, hair becoming wet and thin within its moisture. When his body is completely relaxed, Roman grabs the towel and dries himself off, getting dressed in comfortable clothing, his eyes landing on the title as a small smile graces his face. He might not have it long, he thinks, but he does have it, and right now, he's fine with that.

* * *

* * *

 

When he finally arrives to the hotel, he's exhausted, eyes drooping and shoulders burrowed inwards, towards his chest. The elevator ride is slow, quiet, and he nearly falls asleep before the ding of the doors opening jolt him awake. The hallway is empty, dark, and the elevator doors begin to close before Roman places his suitcase between them, not moving forward. It's practically two in the morning, but he can he loud music reverberating from one of the rooms, and he's taken back to years before, when he, Rollins and Ambrose would work out their energy with loud music and bed jumps, as immature as it sounded. He finds himself pausing in front of the door, opening and closing his mouth, fingers clenching into a fist as he relaxes and frowns, raising his hand before lowering it, repeating the action a few times before eventually, shaking his head.

It doesn't matter anymore, he thinks.

No – _he_ doesn't. The thought hurts, causing him to blink in surprise at it coming out of nowhere. He has his insecurities, he knows, but he thought he got through that one. Letting out a small breath, he shakes his head and heads towards the end of the hall, missing the opening of the door he was just at and the one man whose another new champion staring out at him as he ends up at his own room. He barely manages to dress into his pyjama's before falling into bed, an exhausted sigh escaping from his lips before his eyes close and he drifts off into an exhaustive sleep.

* * *

* * *

 

The next morning, Roman wakes up slowly, eyes blinking up at the ceiling before he remembers that it's Monday, he's now the Universal Champion and Braun Strowman still has the money in the bank briefcase.  He's fought Braun before, and only a few times has he won against the 'Monster Among Men' by himself.

He knows what he must do, knows he needs help in order to beat Strowman but a rather large part of him doesn't want to go anywhere near Rollins and Ambrose – not with the title near them, not with Rollins having never apologized to him. It's one thing, he thinks, helping Rollins out when he needs it but Rollins has proven to him, time and time again, that he doesn't matter. From not apologizing, to admitting that no one's had his back until Ambrose had returned.

The signs have all been there – and Roman doesn't want that vulnerability on him anymore than he needs it. Rubbing his hands onto his face to try and wake himself up some more, Roman begins thinking about who he can wrestle tonight, who deserves the opportunity the most. Eventually, the realization hits him, and he grins, getting up and going about his day, the time ticking by slowly until he realizes he needs to go to the arena for RAW.

A little while after he's arrived at the arena, he quickly shares his idea with the higher ups, who agree, before he lets out a breath and heads towards the one room he currently wants nothing to do with. There's a television nearby and like the coward he isn't, Roman heads towards that instead, watching as Balor is talking to Strowman, and he knows, a feeling of dread in his stomach, that he's going to need to turn around and talk to Ambrose and Rollins about how much help he needs.

Hearing the door behind him open, Roman tenses, focusing on the television and hoping with all that there is to hope that whomever opened the door can see how he wants to be left alone, can see that he's not up for conversation, and walks in the opposite direction. He can feel the weight of the person's stare and his back itches, letting him know just _who_ it was that saw him. Roman remains tense, arms folding into his chest as he sucks in a breath, teeth biting down on his lower lip as he hears Rollins shuffle behind him. He's taken aback to when they were first formed, the two of them flirting, and he tries his hardest to suck in a breath and remember that times have changed. Rollins has hurt him more than he would ever like to admit, has said and done things that can't be ignored, though Roman has tried more than once. He hears Rollins continue to shuffle behind him more and more, and Roman knows the man isn't going anywhere anytime soon and he's faced with two choices.

Confront the man behind him or ignore him while walking past him, since Roman has put himself in a literal corner with the television at the end o the hall. Confront the feelings Roman has been feeling for god knows how long or ignore the way that he's torn between hugging the man and returning to the way they once were or punching him, destroying him in every way that he was destroyed by Seth.

His brain freezes in this moment, eyes narrowing as a new thought comes to him.  His body relaxes, and his mouth forms a small smirk, though no one would ever be able to see it, or realize what was going on in his mind. For so long, he's felt lost.

Seth turned on Dean and him. Seth broke _him_. Seth always battled with Dean, Roman sometimes joining him but… Seth was the one who stole his title from him more than once. Seth was the one who hit him first. It was Seth who attacked him upon his return, Seth who never apologized to him when he realized he was wrong.

It began with Seth.

It ended with Seth.

And sure, Ambrose…. Ambrose had his moments. Moments where he was given the dirty deeds out of nowhere, where his opinions never mattered, his friendships never mattered.

Roman knew where he stood with these two men and Ambrose and Se— _Rollins_ , they thought they knew where Roman stood with them. But they didn't, he realizes, and his smirk continues to grow before he wipes everything off his face and turns towards Seth.

Roman's more intelligent than anyone ever gives him credit for, he knows. And he knows Strowman is going to come after him, and that he can't beat the man by himself. So why not have _The Shield_ reunite, make everyone think everything is good again, make Ambrose and Rollins think that too, and then….

All hell breaks loose. Yeah, that sounds like a perfect plan, he thinks, though he knows it's not going to be easy, or immediate, and there might be moments he finds himself slipping.

But his endgame is known, now.

And he's willing to work for it.

* * *

* * *

 

"I think I may need help," Roman says to the man in front of him, watching carefully as Rollins arches his eyebrow at him and steps forward. He can see the way Rollins inches his hand forward, wants to reach out and touch him and it takes everything Roman has not to flinch backwards, to narrow his eyes in anger and hatred and _hurt_ as Rollins finally bursts his personal bubble. Roman shifts his entire body, feeling insecure and awkward, and he sees the moment Rollins falls for it, the moment he decides to help Roman, and he feels….

Great.

Roman nods his head, chews on the inside of his cheek before letting out a breath and looking upward, shifting once more. He must think on how to word his next sentence, has to make sure the boys will come out to help him, even if it seems like he doesn't need the help.

They're the fish, he thinks, and his next words are the bait. Which is why they need to be perfect.

"I think – no, I know Strowman is going to cash in on me t'night. And I know I can beat him, if I try real hard, but I know I'm stronger with you an' Ambrose than I am by m'self," he says, trying not to flinch at the words he's saying, at how well Rollins is eating them up, at how Ambrose is watching him carefully from the door, nodding his head in agreement.

People always underestimated him. He just never thought it would be the two people he once considered his brothers, his _life_ , in some respects.

"We're all here. We're all healthy. Why not remind everyone why we always said we were gonna run this company, eventually," he finishes, looking at Rollins with open eyes, hoping that the younger man takes the bait. It's not long before Rollins is looking towards Ambrose and Roman is feeling something go up his spine at that, causing him to frown subconsciously, trying not to allow himself to get jealous for the moments when Rollins looked at him for help.

"It makes sense," Ambrose responds and Roman knows, he's hooked the bait. And he finds himself so damn thankful because when Rollins nods, Roman knows he's in, they're in and all hell is going to break loose tonight.

They end up going their separate ways. Roman doesn't watch their match – he's not going to give them the pleasure, he thinks, though he itches to watch just to see Se—Rollins, but that's not where things are anymore. They don't talk again for the rest of the night, but he has faith that he'll see them again when his match is done.

And when his match finally comes, he ends up more exhausted than ever. Finn gave him a good run for his money, gave him something to work for, and he finds himself so grateful that he had chosen Finn as the first man to get an opportunity to have a chance at his title. But he's exhausted when Strowman comes out, when he pins Finn and he ends up in the corner, and then on the opposite side of the ring. And for one, brief moment, Roman feels fear climb up his spine when nothing happens, when no music is introduced and there's no crowd noise.

But then the music comes, and the crowd begins to chant, and he can see Ambrose and Rollins coming down the ramp and Strowman's eyes widening and he _knows_.

The bait was taken.

The trap was set.

Now all he needs to do is wait. Patience has always been his thing. He has this. Doesn't matter how long it takes him, he knows.

This is his time. His yard.

And he's damn well gonna prove it.

**Author's Note:**

> Ahhh, I hope you guys enjoyed this. I started writing it after the Raw on August 20th, when The Shield 'reunited'. But I also started writing it as the beginning of a series where Roman begins pulling the strings to have the shield reunited, before turning on them because of how they treat them. So, you know, if you're not into Roman turning on his 'brothers', you might not want to read future installments :P Because of this, the series is AU. I'm slowly going to integrate Rolleigns into it, and I'm hoping to post a new part of the series every week, taking place after RAW. Don't forget to review, yes?


End file.
